


Reading Between The Lines Of Time

by Flameo_Hotman



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bad Fire Lords Get Gunned Down By Lemurs, Cuddles, Dead People, Dots, Dry Humping, Fainting, Fluff, Hand Feeding, Husbands in love, Hypothermia, Light Bondage, M/M, Nightmares, Semi-Public Sex, Sharing a Bed, Sleep talking, Sokka no????, Tumblr Prompt, Weed, Zuko !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko is disney princess who can talk to animals, aang swears like a sailor when no one is watching, atla the musical, avatar the last musical, but they are the fire navy soldiers who were in Zhao's fleet, fire benders run hot, hurt zuko, mall date, me over thinking thing, momos got a gun, post siege of the north, protective sokka, shit posts, sleepy zukka cuddles, so they are great for cuddles, sokka dont you see them???, thats called a crush zuko, why was teo living on the sixth floor, zukka - Freeform, zuko broke his arm, zuko isnt out, zuko just really cares about people, zuko likes to spoil sokka, zuko needs his sleep, zuko will not stand for this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:47:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 14,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flameo_Hotman/pseuds/Flameo_Hotman
Summary: Send me a Zukka prompt on Tumblr at Flameo-Hotman and I'll try to write it. Now featuring head cannon prompts and shit post stories.Betaed by H_Faith_Marr and Danatheleseus
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 121
Kudos: 616





	1. Not Dead In The Water

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt
> 
> Zukka Prompt!! Something canonverse with protective Sokka? Bonus points if it is before Zuko is an official part of the Gaang! Zuko just goes through a lot of crap & it would be nice if Sokka could protect him ;-;
> 
> I don't really know if this is what you were hoping for, but when I saw you ask this is what my brain came up with. I hope it fits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you H_Faith_Marr for beta reading this.

The boat that the Northern Water Tribe had provided them with was massive compared to the ones of the Southern Fleet. It wasn’t nearly as large as the standard Fire Navy ship, but it had to be large enough to house Appa on the deck of said ship, and not have the sky bison be in the way of the crew. It was big enough that everyone was able to have their own room even. Something which Sokka took instant advantage of it. He hadn’t even had his own room back home. It was nice to have a space of his own, however briefly.

“Well, that didn’t last long…” Sokka sighed to himself, as he passed back and forth, taking brief glances at the unconscious fire bender currently laying in his bed.

Last night he had wandered around, having trouble sleeping, due to how quiet his room was, and he’d leaned over the railing of the side looking out at the water below, shuddering at the sight of dead lifeless bodies floating down bellow.

But they were fire nation and that made them the enemy.

Still, the sight of death would always bother Sokka, but then he saw a familiar ponytail down below, mixed in with the dead. His brain stopped for a moment.

Zuko?

Sweet mother of rain and ice, how was that even possible? Prince Jerkbender of the Fire Nation dead? It didn’t seem possible! Somehow it seemed deeply wrong. The guy was so filled with fire and stubborn determination, that Sokka hadn’t thought it possible that Zuko could die. The absurd thing was that even in death, Zuko had somehow found his way to their current location.

That’s when he noticed a light breath of pale fog pass Zuko’s ice blue lips…

Sokka didn’t think. He just acted and dived right into the frigid arctic water. He swam to Zuko and pried his frozen fingers off of the driftwood the guy was clinging to. Then Sokka wrapped an arm around the guy and sawm for the rope latter that hung from the side of the boat.

_Why am I doing this?!? This guy is our enemy! WHY AM I TRYING TO SAVE HIM?!?_

Climbing the latter was awkward with only one hand, but Sokka managed it, and once back on the deck, he kept to the shadows. If he got caught, he didn’t think Pakku and the other water tribe warriors on board be very forgiving despite Sokka being from their sister tribe and a personal friend of the Avatar. Which really begged the question of what Sokka’s plan for this whole thing was?

What was he just going to nurse him back to health, and drop him off once they got to port? Where was he going to keep the guy? How was he going to get Zuko off the ship? How was he going to explain it to the jerk bender? He didn’t even know why he was doing this outside of, he didn’t want to see the guy dead. The idea of a dead Zuko was just wrong. Yeah, the Fire Prince was totally going to buy that! No, the best bet was telling the guy he was doing this to save his own skin, just in case the Fire Nation won. Saving Zuko would convince the Fire Nation not to kill him out of the life debt Zuko would owe Sokka, blah, blah, blah.

Sokka wasn’t though because Aang was going to defeat the Fire Lord.

He did have his own room on the ship, which he had been told would stay unbothered due to him being a young male with needs, as Pakku had so prickishly put it. Gross, but both true and now very convenient. He sent up a prayer to Yue that no one would catch him, and then slunk back inside the ship with a very cold fire bender held in his arms.

It wasn’t bridal style though. It just looked like bridal style. No, this was the Sokka is carrying the enemy in his arms like he’s a very much dying guy and Sokka doesn’t want to see him dead and this is the easiest way to carry the guy style.

Luckily no one was in the halls this time of night, and Sokka was able to get to his room without being seen. Once there, he deposited the fire bender in his bed and went through the checklist of how to warm up something who had fallen into the arctic water. Something everyone in the tribe was taught once they could talk.

Step one, get them out of their wet clothes…

Of course, the spirits, sans Yue, hated him. Why else would any of this be happening? Sokka wished not for the first nor the last time, that he had never gotten involved in this saving the world nonsense in the first place, but he knew he would do all of this again, given what he knows now back then. And that included trying to save the son of the evilest man on the plant.

So he gathered himself and undid the sash around Zuko’s waist, which was waterlogged and didn’t want to unite. Screw it, Zuko would likely whine about this later, but Sokka didn’t want to waste time and fail to save the guy because he was worried about damaging a piece of fabric. So he pulled out his whalebone hunting knife and cut it.

Once that was over with, he was able to pry off the wet logged cold gear Zuko was wearing as an outer layer, which took a few minutes. The undersuit of it was also wet, albeit a slightly warmer wet, but still freezing. Sokka really didn’t want to see the Fire Nation Prince naked, but it looked like he was going to see the Fire Nation Prince naked. Isn’t that just great? Of course, it is! Why wouldn’t seeing his sworn enemy naked be great?

It isn’t like Sokka actively hates the guy or anything.

Soon the wet clothes are piled in a corner, and well it seems he’s on to step two which is warming the affected person up. So Sokka pulls the blankets over the guy, leaving his head exposed. Sokka now removes his own wet clothes because what he has to do next would be defeated by not doing so, and Sokka doesn’t want to become hypothermic himself. Then against his better judgment slips into the bed next to him because this is about Zuko and not Sokka. Sokka shouldn’t care if Zuko lives or dies but he does. So here he is naked and in bed with his sworn enemy, and he is going to have a very shouty, very angry fire bender once the guy wakes up.

And he will because the spirits hate Sokka. Just great.

How long was the guy in the ice for anyways? He barely has a pulse and isn’t shivering at all. For all Sokka knows the guy is already as good as dead. As it is, it has only been a few days since the siege, but he knows not even Zuko could survive that long in the ice-cold waters of the north. Or maybe it is more like ONLY Zuko could survive the ice-cold water for so long. Maybe the guy had a raft and got washed off of it? Which now brought up the question of how many other fire nation soldiers had managed a raft? How many of Zuko’s people would survive?

Zuko trembled lightly against Sokka’s body.

The beetle roach was going to survive this… Of course, he would. That was just Sokka’s luck.

Sokka now looked at the pale teen in his arms, and he felt like he was seeing him for the first time… There were the fresh cuts and bruises on his face that he realized weren’t from the guy’s fight with Katars, and of course, there was the hair cut, which was terrible and nothing like his wolf tail, thank you very much, stop laughing Katara! And there was the scar covering nearly the entirety of the left side of the guy’s face.

It actually looked kind of… Hand shaped.

Sokka’s brain ground to a sudden halt because the scar on his enemy’s face was hand-shaped and looked at least a few years old. Zuko hadn’t done that to himself, and by the looks of it, the scar had been deliberate. Like someone had held a flaming hand against the guy’s face hot enough and long enough to do the damage it had done…

Zuko looked about what sixteen? He looked about Sokka’s age when you only looked at the unscarred side of his face, and the burn looked maybe three or so years old? So someone had burned the teen’s face when he was what thirteen? And they had done it on purpose… Okay, Sokka knew the guy rubbed most people the wrong way, but you had to be some sort of heartless monster to burn a kid’s face-off, and even the Fire Lord wouldn’t do that… Except a previous Fire Lord had wiped out Aang’s people women and children included.

Whoever had done it must have been punished… Right? The Fire Lord wouldn’t just let some creep get away with assaulting the heir to his throne? Why was Zuko hunting Aang in the first place? None of this made any sense. There had to be something pretty massive riding on it if the guy was as obsessed as he was. What it was, Sokka couldn’t figure out, but it wasn’t like Zuko had been given a lot of resources for the task.

Sokka signed and snuggled closer, rubbing circles hoping to not have a dead guy in his bed come morning. Zuko gave another shiver, and this time it had lasted longer.

“P-please, F-f-father, I only ha-ad the F-f-fire Na-tion’s be-ehst int-t-trests at hea-art.” Zuko murmured, as his teeth chattered. “I-I’m sor-ry I spoke ou-ught of tu-tur-n”

_What?_ Sokka wondered as he looked at the distressed look on the other teen’s face. There were tears beginning to prickle around his right eye. _What was Zuko talking about?_

“I-I mean-t you n-no disr-reh-spect-t-t… I-am your loy-yal s-son.” Then a pause, like someone was saying something to him, and Sokka suspected it was likely Zuko’s father who was answering him in the dream. “I won’t f-fi-ght you.”

_HOLY MOTHER OF ICE AND TIDE! What did Zuko just say?_

And then Zuko screamed, and Sokka had to push him down and cover his mouth before someone else heard and came running to check on him. Then gold eyes shot open to meet his own, and Sokka hissed quietly, “Scream and you die.”

Zuko stopped struggling and looked up at Sokka in terror. Then he screwed his eyes shut, tears coming faster now, and spread his legs. His hands still pinned down by Sokka’s free hand.

“What are you-” Sokka began, before he realized what this both looked and sounded like. “It’s not like that! I wasn’t-” And he threw himself off of the suddenly limp teen. “You had hypothermia! I was trying to warm you back up- Both of our clothes were wet- I would never-”

Sokka had never felt more horrified in his life. Not even when Aang had communed with the Ocean Spirit and wiped out the Fire Navy fleet. Zuko had woken up in a strange place, naked in bed with someone else, who told him _“Scream and you die.”_ How else could Zuko interpret that? He woke up after a horrible nightmare, that had revealed to Sokka some pretty horrible stuff, and though he was about to be raped while he was still weak. What was even worse was that he didn’t even try to fight. No, Zuko had submitted to it, thinking there was no way out of it.

Zuko was still and silent for a few moments before he gave a violent shudder and lifted the sheets to welcome Sokka back in, whimpering, “M-my f-flame wen-ent ou-ut. P-ple-ase…” And Sokka dove back inside, pulling the shivering fire bender flush against him again and Zuko was full-on clinging to him for dear life.

“Hey, buddy?” Sokka asked, “What do you mean by your flame went out?”

“T-t-too c-cold-d t-to b-b-bend. Li-ke we-went Z-zhao k-killed the m-moon.”

_Wait, what?_

“You’ve lost your bending?” Zuko nodded into his neck. “Has this ever happened before?”

“W-when I-I was-s bu-bu-banished.” Zuko shuddered, clawing his way deeper into Sokka’s warmth, and that didn’t sound good at all. Not when coupled with the nightmare that Zuko had just a few minutes ago. Sokka didn’t like the picture it was painting. Not when it sounded like Zuko’s dad had picked a fight with him for saying the wrong thing and **then** scarred and banished him. Not when suddenly everything was making a horrifying amount of sense. Not when it looked like Zuko had been trying to capture the Avatar to make it up to his piece of snow rat shit father.

“How do we relight it?”

“Uncle di-did las-st t-t-tighme w-with h-his b-bu-bending.”

“Well, let’s just keep you alive until we can get you back to him.”

Zuko didn’t answer, he just shivered. He held onto Sokka like Aang did a hug. Sokka couldn’t stand the silence so he started talking. “I don’t know why I decided to pull you out of the water, but I’m glad I did. At first, I thought you were dead, and it just seemed so wrong. But then I saw you were breathing, and I didn’t even think before I was jumping in to save you. I couldn’t stand by and watch you die. I’ve seen too many people die… I didn’t see my mom die, but Katara did… She didn’t speak for an entire year after that. I never thought she would ever again. She was different after it though, and she never said what had happened, but me and dad… We found her curled up to mom crying. Dad shut down for a while as well, and Gran-Gran had to take care of us after that. Once he finally came back to himself, he organized the warriors and left to fight in the war.” And Sokka began telling Zuko his entire life story, two fish hook in the thumb and all, and by the time he was done, Zuko had fallen back asleep and wasn’t shivering anymore. The guy was nowhere near as warm as a fire bender should be, but it was better than how cold and lifeless he had been when Sokka had fished him out of the ice.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief, glad he had locked the door and fell asleep himself.

Right now Zuko was safe and sound in his arms, and Sokka was going to make sure things stayed that way. He had to protect the guy, now that he’d gone through the effort of saving his life. He wouldn’t let that all go to waste. Which meant he had three weeks to come up with a plan before they docked at the port.

Sokka was the plan guy after all, and if anyone could come up with a plan to protect Zuko it was him.


	2. Bumping Elbows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Prompt
> 
> Zukka oneshot prompt: Zuko on one of regular dates. Zuko is closeted bc he fears he won't inherit his dad's company and be able to reform it if he's out. Bonus points for Zuko being shy and trying to find ways for him to show affection for Sokka when he can't touch him more than normal without blowing their cover!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you H_Faith_Marr for beta reading this.

Zuko was a giver. He couldn’t love someone and not give them everything he had to offer, and Sokka was not the exception, he was the whole ass rule. There was only one thing he could give his boyfriend of three years, and that was being public about how absolutely head over heels he was for the guy. They were currently roommates at the Ba Sing Se University and had been for the past four years.

It was how they had met.

Freshmen were required to live on campus, and when they met things hadn’t really gone all that well at first. Honestly, Zuko had been sure things could never change, but then Sokka had woken up to him having a nightmare, and well then Zuko had explained the nightmare. Sokka had started sharing a bed with him after that, hoping it would help Zuko to stop having them. It did… A little too well and he’d started having… Other dreams.

And those had been equally impossible to hide but had a much more pleasant response than he had anticipated. Next thing he knew they were becoming boyfriends. The only problem was the first time Sokka had tried to kiss Zuko, he had leaned back and away from the kiss before he bolted. Sokka had been rightfully very upset over it, and he had refused to talk to Zuko until Zuko had literally climbed through Teo’s dorm room window, saying, “So my dad is homophobic and if he finds out I’ll be disowned and then I can’t give his employees health insurance.”

Then he’d slipped, fell, and broke his arm.

Sokka still won’t let him forget it, but he did forgive Zuko which had made it all worth it, and someone please tell him why someone in a wheelchair was living on the 6th floor? Yes, I know there is an elevator, but what if the power goes out and the building is on fire? Sokka we live on the first floor, we have to switch with him! No stop laughing I’m serious!

Needless to say, Teo and his roommate now lived on the first floor, while Zuko and Sokka lived on the sixth.

Sokka had accepted that PDA was going to be a no go until, Ozai stepped down and let Zuko take charge of the company upon graduating with his master’s degree in business, and that’s how they got to be here. Zuko not being able to show the world how much he was head over heels in love with his amazing boyfriend and instead, he was spoiling him as much as possible.

Sokka said he didn’t need all of the things that Zuko got for him, but Zuko insisted.

Besides Sokka’s ass looked great in the jeans Zuko currently had him trying on, and his boyfriend LOVED shopping. If the date ended with food? Well, Sokka would love that as well.

But what Zuko really wanted to do was yell at everyone to look at them and then kiss his boyfriend’s beautiful mouth. He was honestly getting a bit moody over it and Sokka could tell. So when Sokka went into the dressing room next, he glanced about and then pulled Zuko in after him, before shoving the guy against the mirror and kissing him hard.

Zuko felt the tense of the day drain from him in that instant and he kissed back with just as much eagerness as Sokka was showing him. A few moments later their lips parted, and Sokka smiled at him saying, “I’ve been wanting to do that all day, babe. I’ll let you know when it's safe to come out.” And then Sokka had slipped from the stall.

A moment later a text came through on Zuko’s cell with a thumbs up, and he left the safety and privacy of the changing room had provided.

Two stores later, and he felt the frustration building in him again.

So he thought about Sokka’s joke about his latest autocorrect fail that he had yet to live down…

Bumping elbows… Okay so he had meant to say nasties and he didn’t know why his phone had corrected it to elbows, but no one really knew why autocorrect did what it did sometimes, but if this worked then he would never make another spiteful remark about how stupidly flawed it was.

As casually as he could, he knocked his elbow against Sokka’s and promptly flushed bright red. Sokka looked over at him for a moment, then he smiled, and then he bumped his elbow back into Zuko’s own. Zuko blushed even harder.

Later they were in the food court and Zuko was buying Sokka some sort of bowl full of practically nothing but meat from some generic-looking build your own meal style restaurant, and he bumped his boyfriend’s elbow again and smiled.

He even let his hand brush briefly against Sokka’s own.

Sokka smiled wide and mischievously at him in response, then he sent him a text.

**Sokka:** lol love you to but we both know what you meant to say

**Zuko:** I hate you

**Sokka:** mhm sure you are cute when you blush

**Zuko:** I hate you

**Sokka:** Love you to you baby

Zuko smiled at the text and then said, “So once we’re done here, we should get back to the dorms and get our homework done.”

“Fine, but food first, study later.” Sokka sighed dramatically, as they went to find a set. Once they had Zuko bumped his knee against Sokka's and sent his boyfriend a quick text message.

**Zuko:** Bumping kneecaps means the same as elbows

**Zuko:** I love you Shit Head One day the whole world will know

**Sokka:** *kissy face emoji* *heart eye emoji*

**Zuko:** *middle finger emoji*

**Zuko:** *kissy face emoji*

Zuko looked up at Sokka and smiled.

One day he was going to marry this beautiful weirdo and everyone would be invited, except for his dad of course. For now, he just had to get through four more years, and then he was going to propose to Sokka, as soon as his father signed over the business. Then he would give Sokka the whole world. But for now? This would be enough.

He bumped his elbow against Sokka’s again and ate his food.

One day he would be able to do give Sokka so much more than this, but for now, bumping elbows would make due.


	3. Fire Benders Are Made For Snuggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Prompts
> 
> write the 'firebenders give off extra body heat' headcannon into a zukka fic! sokka (and by extension, katara) growing up at the south pole sleeping in groups to retain warmth. one night riding appa when the wind is sharp and cold, sokka accidentally falls asleep ON zuko. sokka doing the 'oh your hands are WARM!' move on zuko. people keep unconsciously shifting closer to zuko around the campfire on chilly nights. ensuing confusion/affection follows.
> 
> SLEEPY ZUKKA CUDDLES!
> 
> Hope this is what yahl were hoping for even if I didn't hit every part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you H_Faith_Marr for beta reading this.

Their group was currently flying away from the Western Air Temple and en route for Ember Island. Zuko was sitting as far away from Katara on the saddle as he could due to the glares she was currently giving him. He wasn’t scared of her. He was just cautious and did not want to give her any excuse to hate him more than she already did. Did he wish he had made a different choice back in Ba Sing Se? Of course, he did, but there was nothing he could do now to go back and change that. He could worry about earning her forgiveness once this whole ordeal was behind them. Not that he felt he deserved that forgiveness.

Really, why anyone had forgiven him was a mystery. Except for Toph, maybe, because she hadn’t been there for most of his time hunting her friends. But she had forgiven him for burning her feet, which once again was something he didn’t understand.

Still, having friends, because that was what they were, was nice. He hadn’t really ever had friends before. Sure, he had spent some time on Ember Island bonding with Azula and her friends, but that didn’t really count. Not when he had thought they only tolerated him for his sister’s sake, but then Mai had gone and confused him during the Boiling Rock and betrayed Azula to save his life, and Ty Lee had done the same to save Mai’s life…

Still, what he had with Aang, Toph, Suki, and Sokka was different. It was deeper. He glanced at Sokka and felt his stomach do that weird little flip it had been doing since their hot air balloon ride to the prison. It had been the first time he’d been alone with the guy and Sokka wasn’t treating him like the enemy. Sokka had said some hawk bat crazy shit about his last girlfriend turning into the moon, which Zuko wasn’t even about to figure out because what in Agni’s name was that even a metaphor for? Was that the water tribe way of saying someone’s girlfriend had died? He knew according to his uncle the Northern Water Tribe Princess was with the spirits now, but Uncle always said cryptic things that were proverbs for finding a deeper meaning in life.

Looking at everyone else in their little group didn’t bring up the same feelings it did when he looked at Sokka, so maybe he just felt closest to the Water Tribe Warrior. Was this what having a best friend was like? Your stomach filled with giddy joy and the sight of them sent your chi racing?

Sokka saw him looking and smiled, before getting up and walking over to plop down next to him. “It can get cold up here, and I figured that you-” Sokka went quiet as he leaned into Zuko’s side and then full-on groaned, “ _ Toasty!  _ You’re like a human heat pack!”

“Uh…” Zuko stammered, “I’m a fire bender? I run hot?”

“You weren’t this toasty in the cooler.” Sokka pointed out.

“Yeah, because it was a cooler? It’s meant to keep fire benders too cold to bend?” Zuko offered in explanation before Sokka pulled him into his lap and wrapped his arms around him. Zuko had felt himself panic for a moment, his heart hammering, but then Sokka hummed contentedly into his ear, “You’re like a gift from the spirits.”

Katara snorted at the blush that was suddenly burning the fire bender’s face, “Yeah, if murderous traitors are what you’re into, then I guess Zuko is a gift from the spirits.”

Zuko decided to ignore that comment, but Sokka didn’t, “Hey, the guy risked a lot by coming here, and he has been nothing but helpful since he joined us!” 

Katara made an unhappy sound before she went back to ignoring the fire bender.

Sokka snuggled closer into Zuko’s warmth, with a happy sigh of, “I hope you’re comfortable because I am never letting go of you know that I know how amazing you are to cuddle.” 

Zuko didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead, he relaxed and shifted to make himself more comfortable. It felt nice… Zuko couldn’t remember anyone ever holding him like this.

Sokka removed one of the arms from around his waist to start petting his hair and Zuko turned his face to press it into the other’s neck, the remaining tension draining from him.

“You’re hair is ridiculously soft.” Sokka scoffed, threading his fingers through the silky strands. “How is it this freakishly soft?”

“Hair treatments… Good conditioner…” Zuko sighed with a small smile, and he nearly shuddered at the soft scrape of nails against his scalp.

“I call dibs on living with Zuko when this is all over.” Sokka declared dreamily, before shifting so they were laying on their sides, with Zuko pulling himself closer into the embrace. When Sokka’s finger’s slowed and stopped, he nudged his scalp back against them, and Sokka snicked, “Greedy” before resuming his ministrations.

Zuko felt sleepy now, and for once in his life, he didn’t fight its call. Falling asleep cuddled up against Sokka.


	4. Blaze It Hotman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in honor of me reaching 420 followers on Tumblr! This was initially written while I was high.  
> Thank you Danatheleseus for beta reading this for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Prompt  
> Zuko snapped his fingers like a zippo lighter and holds it for Sokka while he blazes

It was Sokka’s idea for Zuko to try pot.

The Water Tribe Warrior claimed Zuko seemed more stressed than usual and needed to chill out for once in his unbelievably stressed-out existence. So here they were, sitting in the royal gardens with Sokka rolling the plant inside of a piece of brown paper, while Zuko’s guards Kenzo and Lee stood watch.

His great grandfather Sozin had tried and failed to eradicate the plant from the Fire Nation. One of his less noted failures.

Sokka held the joint up with a smile and said one of the most baffling things that Zuko had ever heard come out of a mouth that wasn’t Aang or his uncle, “Blaze it!”

“What?” Zuko blanched.

If Sokka hadn’t been the one to say it, Zuko would have been sure that Aang was once again making up more prewar Fire Nation speak. Flameo and hotman were most assuredly not things anyone other than the air bender had ever said. Zuko, of course, refused to ask his uncle if he was correct in his assumptions.

“Something I picked up from Aang”  _ Zuko was right. _ “Use your jerk bending to light the joint.”

“Oh.” The fire bender answered before he complied, snapping his right thumb and middle finger together to create a single small flame.

Sokka proceeded to happily light the joint with before bringing it to his lips and taking a drag off of it, with a happy sigh.

The scent reminded Zuko of Jet, which brought up some mixed and mostly negative emotions. He felt like it was his fault the guy had possibly died. If it hadn’t been for him, Jet might not have been arrested by the Dai Li… 

When the joint was handed to Zuko, he took in a lungful of the stuff and promptly suffered a small coughing fit.

His boyfriend proceeded to laugh his ass off at Zuko’s misfortune.

“I thought you said this was relaxing?” He coughed out. “This doesn’t feel very relaxing.”

“You’ve really never gotten high before? Have you?” Sokka laughed as he wiped tears of joy from his eyes.

Zuko chose to simply glare at Sokka, despite finding the sight endearing.

Sokka was still giggling to himself when he took the joint back and said, “Okay, new plan. When I breathe out my next hit, you breathe it in. Got it?”

Zuko gave a single silent nod before Sokka took another drag off of the joint and pulled Zuko into his lap suddenly. The fire bender hadn’t been expecting him to and if he let out a small shriek, no one needed to know.

The hand that rested itself on his hip pacified him, and when Sokka let out a cloud of the smoke, Zuko inhaled it slowly.

He didn’t feel any different, but Sokka did seem somewhat more loose and relaxed. So he took a few more hits this way until finally, he felt something happen. It didn’t happen all at once. When Sokka let him take a few more hits from the joint itself, this time Zuko didn’t cough quite as much, he felt himself beginning to relax as his worries faded away from his mind.

“My dad would be angry if he knew I was doing this,” Zuko said plainly.

“Yeah, and the guy would be angry about you doing a ton of other perfectly normal things. Trash Lord Ozai is not really the best judge of right and wrong.” Sokka pointed out with a smile.

“I never said he was,” Zuko said with a smirk. “Only that  _ knowing  _ would upset him.”

“Well, he is your dad and has a right to know if you’re smoking pot.” Sokka agreed in an exaggerated voice of the utmost seriousness. “But let’s enjoy this first.”

Sokka’s petting of his silk-clad hip felt nice, as did the rest of the silk that covered him. 

Everything felt soft and wonderful, as he began to slip into a dreamlike haze. And Sokka made no move to take the blunt back from Zuko, as he threaded his free hand into Zuko’s hair and verbally marveled at its softness.

“I mean seriously.” The Water Tribe Warrior groaned. “Have you ever felt your hair? I need to know what hair products the royal hair washers use on it because it feels amazing.”

“I mean it’s my hair, Sokka. Of course, I’ve felt it.” Zuko rolled his eyes. “And uh… I think its coconut? I’m not sure. I just had a hair treatment yesterday, so maybe if you asked Shi Lin, she might be able to-” 

But whatever he was about to say was lost forever, when he full-on moaned at the tug Sokka gave his hair.

He hadn’t thought something like that could feel good, let alone as amazing as it had.

Sokka let go of his hair to take away the joint, eyes going wide, and grinding it into the ground.

“Spirits…”, Sokka swallowed before growling, “Zuko, honey, I want to try something, but I need to know if you want me to…”

“Yes, Sokka. Anything you want.” Zuko was pretty sure he knew what his boyfriend had in mind, and while normally he wouldn’t be open to doing that kind of thing somewhere so public, he was the Fire Lord and these were his royal gardens.

Zuko undid the sash of his robes, but Sokka took it from him and shook his head.

“Your clothes are staying on Fire Lord.” But the twinkle of desire was still in his eyes as he ordered, “Put your hands behind you back, darling.”

And Zuko did

Sokka had Zuko twist around to give him a clear view of his wrist so he could tie them together behind his back with the sash before he ran his hands down Zuko’s sides dragging the silk of his robes against them, and Zuko shuddered at the feeling. He was beginning to understand what was happening.

“You make the most beautiful sounds, Zuko.” Sokka rasped, his mouth suddenly sounding dry to Zuko. “I want to hear every single one of those gorgeous sounds.”

Lee and Kenzo, his guards, shifted awkwardly where they were keeping watch. Zuko had forgotten them, until now. Suddenly he thought about everything the guards that stood watch outside his bedroom must hear at night and he flushed. He had never even thought about that until right now.

What did they think of their Fire Lord’s bedroom activities?

But those thoughts were cut short when Sokka gave his hair another tug.

The sound that he made was  _ filthy _ , and he could see the way that the two guards tensed at it.

“Don’t look at them,” Sokka snarled. “I want you to look at me. They can look at you and listen to you, but only I get to  _ touch  _ you. Am I understood?”

“Agni, yes, Sokka, yes.” Zuko loved it when Sokka was possessive.

“Good.” And then Sokka bit him. It wasn’t hard enough to break the skin, but it was hard enough that Zuko shouted and bucked his hips. It hurt but just like when Sokka pulled his hair, it felt good. Later Zuko might be horrified by how much he enjoyed it, but right now he was shamelessly begging for more.

A thumb rubbed the silk of his robes against a nipple and he pressed himself into the touch, gasping at the feeling.

“That’s a good Fire Lord.” Sokka praised. “Keep making those pretty little sounds, beautiful.”

Zuko’s wrists strained against their silk bindings, as he rutted against Sokka’s lap. It was rapidly becoming too much, and Sokka had only just started. Zuko was going to demand that they do this again.

Sokka rolled his hips against Zuko’s own finally, as he licked a stripe up the fire benders throat. 

The hot breath against the rapidly cooling damp was what set Zuko off.

He came crying out Sokka’s name.

Sokka didn’t stop, however, now chasing his own completion. He jerked his hips against Zuko mashing his lips against Zuko’s own. Once more, twice more, and finally on the third jerk, he followed the fire bender into completion.

They were both gasping for breath, as they slowly came down from not one but two highs.

“I don’t think we should tell your dad about this part.”

Zuko wanted to smack his boyfriend, groaning, “Way to ruin the moment.”

“So… You want to do this again?”

“Yeah, I do, you idiot.”

“I love you to, Babe.”

“Love you to, Sokka.”, Zuko sighed back. “Now could you please untie my arms?”

Sokka laughed, as he maneuvered Zuko off of his lap and obeyed. 

Zuko rewarded Sokka with a kiss.


	5. Fire Lords Need Their Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt
> 
> ZUKKA PROMPT 🔥💧 Zuko fainting and Sokka catching him (they are already a couple). It can be anything. Maybe sickness (he was feeling weird all day for example), maybe stress (maybe because he is already Fire Lord and he has all those meetings), maybe exhaustion (after training with Aang or not sleeping because of Fire Lord duties).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you H_Faith_Marr for beta reading this.

“I really hope Zuko’s doing okay,” Sokka sighed as he laid on Appa’s saddle looking up at the sky. “I mean I’ve been gone for-”

“Yeah, a month!” Katara snapped. “It is all you talked about during the solstice. The whole month. Zuko this and Zuko that! Next time just bring him with! I’m more than a little sick of hearing about it!”

Sokka sat up and shouted back, “HEY! You know how Zuko does with the solstice! Fire benders get sick when they don’t have the sun! And it isn’t like I haven’t had to deal with you gushing about _YOUR BOYFRIEND_ endlessly!”

“I’m sorry…” Katara answered looking embarrassed. “I forgot… I shouldn’t have said that. You’re right. You just really miss him, and I hate when I have to be away from Aang.”

“I hate when I have to be away from you too, Katara!” Aang chirped from where he sat steering.

“Oogie!” Sokka groaned before he went back to staring at the sky and worrying about his husband. Was Zuko eating right? Was he getting enough rest? Was he listening to Guards Kenzo and Ming about taking care of himself, like Sokka had instructed Kenzo and Ming to do before he left? Did he remember to let Zuko know that was why their favorite guards were now on him about that stuff?

He thought for a few moments and suddenly recalled the adorable eye roll Zuko had given him when he’d let him know, and Sokka felt himself calm down.

“Hey Aang, how much longer until we get to the palace?”

“Two hours.”

* * *

Two Hours Later

* * *

Zuko had been in a meeting with General Fong when Ming came and stood at attention with a smile.

“Speak.”

“Fire Lord Zuko, Fire King Sokka has just arrived with Water Tribeswoman Katara and Avatar Aang. They are in the courtyard if you would like to go-”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not done talking with-” The unpleasant Earth Kingdom General began, but Zuko was already on his feet and walking out the door.

He paused in front of a particularly shiny and reflective gold statue in the entryway to fix his hair and robes, before heading out into the courtyard, ignoring the look Ming gave him and setting his eyes on his husband. He smiled for the first time all week.

Katara smiled at him, before pointing to him, saying, “Sokka go say hi to your husband, you dork.”

Sokka’s face lit up with his radiant smile as he rushed to envelop the Fire Lord in his arms, and Zuko was home for the first time all month.

“I missed you too.” Zuko sighed as he returned the hug, choosing to ignore the way the world swayed for a moment. Sokka did not need to know that he hadn’t slept in… How many days? Zuko wasn’t sure. He stopped sleeping again after his uncle had gone back to Ba Sing Se.

Right then General Fong came storming out into the courtyard shouting, “We weren’t done talking about the import tax of geminate candy!”

“Another word before I’m done saying hello to my husband, and I am banning the import of the stupid rock candy,” Zuko growled, before tightening his hold on his husband and inhaling the comforting scent of seawater and a scent that screamed Sokka.

Aang laughed at that, before jumping down from Appa, right as Sokka’s stomach growled.

“Ming, tell General Fong that we will have to reschedule our meeting for after lunch,” Zuko ordered with a smile, as he leaned back in the embrace and looked up at his husband. In the past few years, Sokka had shot up in height and stood taller than most people. Stupid Water Tribe genes, making Sokka into a total pillar of muscle that towered over Zuko.

Zuko loved it. He loved how when he stood next to Sokka, he felt safe. He loved how Sokka’s body curled around him, creating a warm alcove of home and safety. He loved how every inch of Sokka was filled to the brim with love and loyalty. He loved Sokka.

He rocked up onto his toes and rewrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, before pressing a kiss to the man’s lips. Sokka happily returned it, before pressing another to Zuko’s forehead.

“I missed you, Beautiful.”

“I missed you too, Sokka,” Zuko replied, smiling. “Now let’s go get you some food.”

Then Zuko turned to Aang and Katara saying, “You don’t mind if I have a private lunch with-”

“Please do.” Katara interrupted. “I can go get something in the city with Aang. I really do not want to see what a private lunch entails.” 

Zuko flushed, but Katara had been absolutely right about the way he planned for his private lunch with his husband to go.

If he had his way, and Zuko knew he would, then he was going to be finding himself thrown onto the table- And oh no… Everything was rapidly swaying, as Sokka let go of him to give his pack to a servant.

“Sokka!” Came the distant sound of Katara shouting, as the ground rushed up to meet the Fire Lord.

  
  


Sokka had only stepped away from his husband for a few seconds to hand Shoji his pack, when Katara shouted, “Sokka!”

He whipped around to catch his husband, when he’d realized what she was looking at, just in time. Zuko had fainted or passed out, and Sokka already had a fair idea of why. He had known the moment he caught the earthy scent of makeup on his husband, that the man was likely covering up the shadows of exhaustion on his face. However, in his relief at seeing Zuko for the first time in a month, Sokka had been willing to not bring it up until after their lunch, but now it looked like he was going to have to wait until his husband woke up.

“Ming?” Sokka asked, looking at the guard. “When was the last time the Fire Lord slept?”

He wasn’t going to like the answer. He knew he wasn’t. He had never once asked that question and received an answer that had made him smile. This time was no different.

“Counting the nap he took yesterday, during lunch?”

“Naps don’t count.”

“Five or six days ago.”

Sokka sighed and shifted his husband in his arms, so he was carrying him bridal style. Then he nodded at his sister and headed into the palace. He had known leaving his husband to his own devices for a month hadn’t been a good idea, but he had been so excited to join in the Southern Water Tribe’s celebration of the darkest time of the year when Yue’s light filled their days without interruption. However, if Zuko was going to do this every time he was gone, and he did, then Sokka wasn’t going to be able to do this again.

It looked like he was only going to be able to make it work by bringing Zuko with him and staying for the short period of time that Zuko was able to handle without getting moon sickness.

For now, he had to make sure Zuko got his rest and a proper meal.

He was in love with a complete moron.

* * *

  
When Zuko woke up, he was in bed and curled up in Sokka’s arms. It took him longer than he would like to admit to realize what had happened. When he did realize, he groaned and curled further into the embrace.

How many people had seen him pass out? Did that awful General Fong see? Would the man try and use it as a sign of weakness and use it to exploit Zuko during their negotiations? How would that beetle roach react, when Fire Lord Zuko refused to allow it to be a way to manipulate him?

“I can hear your brain thinking way too hard, Babe.” Sokka sighed, as he let go of Zuko and sat up to grab something off of his nightstand. That something turned out to be food.

Zuko sat up as well now, and his stomach gave a growl of hunger. How long had it been since he had a proper meal and not just bites of food between meetings?

Sokka held out a piece of mango to his mouth, and Zuko looked up from the offered food and at his husband.

“You obviously aren’t responsible enough to feed yourself, if the palace staff’s report is anything to go by, so I’ve decided that making sure you eat is now my job.” Sokka joked with a loving smile, and Zuko accepted the food.

He made eye contact with the Water Tribesman, as he wrapped his lips around the fingers that held the mango chunk, and felt a fierce sense of pride at the way that smile fell and became something sinful. If Sokka insisted on feeding him by hand, then Zuko was determined to make it into a game of how many bites of food did it take to break the man’s control.

He was sure this game would leave them both very satisfied.

He licked away the juice that dampened his lips before practically purring, “Of course. Thank you for being equipped to take care of my needs, my love.”

It didn’t take much more than that and meeting Sokka’s wide eyes with his own fiery gaze to break him.

Round one of this game had left them both extremely satisfied.


	6. Questions and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is for a fic that I have not posted yet and seeing as I changed the whole first five pages this part no longer exists. But I know I was really happy with this at the time that I wrote it, so here we go. A home for it here.
> 
> Thank you to H_Faith_Marr for beta reading this.

To an existent Zuko had come to be glad of his banishment, as with it had come a strange sense of freedom. One he may otherwise have been denied. Still, he wished to return home and to restore his honor.

So the banished prince had carried on in his mission with a diligent and deliberate manner, which had yielded many answers to the questions that Zuko had never known that he harbored inside of him.

The answer to “where is the Avatar” continually was one of "not here" which he had grown tired of, and which was the main question in his search for answers. And definitely far from being the only question he had. No, there were so many more questions, that the young prince now harbored. And his search had come to demand that he find answers to those ones as well.

Some of these questions he knew better than to dare ever give voice to, out of fear that they would lead to the seeds of doubt within him against the Fire Nation and his father beginning to grow. Seeds he was no longer sure if he should lay waste to or to allow to bloom. Either action would take him across the proverbial Serpent's Pass. A pass that few were willing to cross, and even fewer still would even think to try and come back from, likely to not return with their lives. Still, Zuko wondered, even now one of these questions. One that was filled with such treason to the rule of his father and his father's father, and even his great grandfather Sozin's rule.

Was the Fire Nation's Hundred Year War justified? Its conception? Intentions? The execution of it?

The answers he had come to were uncomfortable.

However, some answers were still unclear to him. If what he had been taught by his tutors was to be believed, then the answer to if the Fire Nation was in the right with this war should be yes, however from what he had seen since being banished had shown him that his nation was acting without honor in this war. It was a fact that Zuko could not rid himself of. And it was the same with their intentions. If the war was their way of spreading their wealth and prosperity and greatness, then they were doing a piss poor job of it. The reality was just thinly veiled despite falling apart if you actually cared to look. As for the conception, history could be misleading and he didn’t really have a way of asking anyone present at the dawning of the war about any of this since everyone from back then was either dead or too old to be reliable. And even if he could ask, they could easily lie to him.

So Zuko had to judge the war based on its merits and what he did know.

And the answers left him uncomfortable. He could not begin to risk giving voice to them. He refused to cross the Serpent’s Pass.

It did give him things to think about for if he ever did become Fire Lord. When he became Fire Lord. The things that he would be doing differently.


	7. Languages Of Atla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I got an ask on Tumblr and I don't want to have to hunt it down each time I want to reread it. Thus here is the if all of the nations had different languages post. (I will be writing a fic down the road based on this fic.)
> 
> Thank you to H_Faith_Marr for beta reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @devilangel657 I was mid reply to your ask about if Zuko learned the water tribe language and if he ever spoke a different language to Sokka when my computer derped out and deleted your ask.
> 
> So here we go

In the show we are meant to believe that all of the nations speak the same language, however, this isn’t realistic. I can see why the writers did it that way because it is first and for most a kid’s show, but for the sake of thinking about it too hard, which I love to do, let’s pretend for a moment that there are separate languages for the different nations.

Yes, Zuko would have learned how to speak the water tribe language. Whether he was taught by his tutors or by Iroh doesn’t really matter. But to truly appreciate this ask, we have to go into the way having 4 languages would affect the world of Avatar.

Firstly since the ask addressed the water tribe, I will start there.

Both water tribes would speak similar versions of the same language, but with cultural and dialect differences, so well Sokka and Katara would still know what their sister tribe is saying, there would have been moments of miscommunication or different words meaning different things based on the context of which tribe it had come form.

Now moving onto Earth as that is the next in the cycle. The Earth Kingdom would have a national language as they need a uniformed way to communicate, however, due to its sheer size, there would most likely be local dialects as well.

Now for the Fire Nation. They may have had local dialects in the past, but Sozin has long since done away with those. Uniformity in what the spoken and written word is much better for making one’s orders and decrees understood. It makes them into a united front.

Now for air, and this one is my favorite to think about. I personally think the air nomads would have been able to speak the most languages due to their nomadic lifestyle. However, they would at the very least know the language of the nation that their temple was located in, as well as an air nomad language that helps make communications between the temples much easier. Aang being from the Southern Air Temple would know how to speak the Southern Water Tribe dialect of the water tribe language, so he would easily be able to communicate with Sokka and Katara. He had been to a lot of places in the Earth Kingdom so he would know at least the national languages, and he has visited the fire nation before and has proven to know their old slang from before the war. So he would have acted as their translator during the early stages of their journey, well teaching his friends Standard Earth Kingdom Languages.

Now onto how this would have affected their journey in the fire nation. Aang would have been their sole source of communication, and the rest of the Gaang would have had very rudimentary skills with the language, so that whole Wang Fire thing would likely have gone down differently. Maybe not though, as Aang would have been acting as the translator even then, but Sokka and Katara would have been able to say a few words, so they wouldn’t have arisen too much suspicion, but I’m not totally sure how that would have gone down. Trust me I’m working on the second part of your ask still.

So by the time Zuko has joined the Gaang, Sokka would have enough fire nation speak to manage the Boiling Rock, but not enough for a casual conversation.

Now to the Zukka part because I think that’s what you’re asking about.

Zuko would try to default to whatever the group as a whole would understand best, and he would probably do Aang’s fire bending lessons in Air Nomad as that is what Aang likely learns best in, as it is his native language. This would, of course, mean a lot to Aang. But that’s not the point.

Zuko might when angry default back to his own native tongue to shout and yell about stuff. And Sokka being the funny guy he is would have convinced the Gaang to pretend they can’t speak fire nation at all, so this would have taken place after the dragons but before the boiling rock.

So I’d like to think that Sokka would have done something to piss Zuko off and in Zuko’s fire nation language triad would have maybe called him something along the lines of a beautiful idiot or declared “Why do I have a crush on the dumb bitch?” And Sokka knowing enough fire nation speak would be like “You think I’m cute?” And yep Zukka moment!

So in conclusion. Sokka has a rough idea of what Zuko is saying because he would have had to learn enough fire nation speak during what one or two months before Zuko joined them and they were traveling in the fire nation. Rather than Zuko says something in fire nation that Sokka doesn’t understand.

I may or may not have put too much thought into this, but I LOVE linguistics and the stories behind them and seeing how they affect the world and things. Also, I may or may not be helping [ @thegayallen](https://thegayallen.tumblr.com/) write three or four languages for a fantasy book series he is writing. So yeah. I hope this is a sufficient answer.


	8. Imagine Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I shit post something that is gold.
> 
> No beta for this post. It is way too short.

I bet the Sozin doesn’t listen to Imagine Dragons because he’d rather imagine no more dragons, but Iroh secretly dug their music. So he told everyone he killed the band members, and then he helped them stay hidden, so they wouldn’t get murdered.

Meanwhile, Zuko never had a chance to listen to their music, but then he took Aang on a field trip to their old recording studio, and they found them there and Zuko finally got to listen to their music. So when he became Fire Lord he made it illegal to murder them.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.


	9. Monkey Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to H_Faith_Marr for beta reading! : )

Aang stubbed his toes and shouted “Mother Fucker! Fucking shit! That hurt!” Momo shook his head and skittered off to go find Appa. The sky bison was the only responsible member of their group,

When the sky bison spotted the lemur monkey, he tilted his head and yawned, “What is it little one?”

“Aang is cursing again.”

Appa sighed and shook his head.

“Well let’s try and tell the other humans.”

Sokka thought Momo just wanted food, so he handed him a peachy nut. (The lemur monkey ate it, but that wasn’t the point.)

“What’s that you’re hungry? Here.” The peachy nut was handed over.

Momo shrieked, “No! Aang is cursing! Listen to me! Oh, food!”

Appa hadn’t had any better luck with Toph. The girl had laughed and told Katara that Appa told better jokes than her. Momo tried with Katara, but she gave him a bath because he was smelly.

Zuko, however, ended up deciding that because Momo was getting a bath, that meant someone needed to brush Appa.

Appa has become fond of the fire bender ever since Zuko had freed him from that Dai Li prison. So when Zuko came over to brush him, the Sky Bison has flopped over on his side to give the teen better access to his belly.

“Good Appa,” Zuko said with a smile, as he began to brush the sky bison’s fur.

“Aang stubbed his toe.”

Zuko paused his brushing and then asked, “Oh? Is he okay?”

What?

“He is fine, though he did curse up a storm.”

“He did?”

“Yes, he said mother fucker and fucking shit.”

Zuko actually laughed.

Aang walked over just in time to catch the sight of his fire bending instructor smiling.

“Hi, Zuko!” He said cheerfully.

“How’s your toe?”


	10. FUCKING DOTS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> blockswingperry asked:  
> not the weirdest atla headcannon but Zuko with visual snow (or visual static) and at some point he makes a comment on how there's a lot of static on something and Sokka is just like, "there's no static what are you talking about?" and Zuko goes nuts trying to prove the static exists
> 
> Today in “Oh? That isn’t a shared experience that everyone has?” Flameo-Hotman learns he has visual snow. Not sure how I would write that scene, but I’ll give it a shot! : )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once my beta takes a look at this I will post a revised version.
> 
> Okay, so she didn't find any errors, but thank you once again to H_Faith_Marr for beta reading!

Zuko has made a passing and inconsequential about the white static-like snow twinkling in the dark as they wandered through the cave. They had been lost and confused, and Zuko hadn’t really thought as he’d mentioned it.

“The static is almost like stars.”

Sokka had looked confused, as he answered, “There’s no static. What are you talking about?”

“The static?” Zuko said with a wave of his hand in the direction of the darkness that permitted the air where his fire didn’t reach.

“How hard did those rocks hit you during the cave in?” Sokka asked as he sat Zuko down on a nearby rock and started checking him for a concussion.

Zuko slapped the hand away and snapped, “Not any harder than you did!”

“Well, I’m not seeing static.”

Zuko frowned, suddenly confused, “But… You really aren’t?” Well, that just meant he was going to have to figure out what was wrong with Sokka.

Once they had found their way out of the cave, Zuko glanced around to see where the static was strongest and then began pointing different things out and announcing with the utmost confidence, “Static.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dog is demanding pet pets. So I’m gonna have to pet him.


	11. Circus Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You want hc? I’ll gladly give you one. What would have happenend if early in his baninshment (or just from the beginning) ty lee had joined zuko? She was already if at the circus after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh? I like this!
> 
> So obviously Ty Lee would have taught Zuko chi blocking.
> 
> I am gonna swap over to my computer for the story reply of this.

The crew of the Dragon’s Claw had stopped at the port of the colony of Yu Dao and while with the circus in town and tensions high on the ship it was only natural that Zuko should give his men the night off to enjoy the show.

This was in no way an excuse for him to see the show himself. Not one bit.

Even if his uncle hadn’t needed to do any convincing to get the 13-year-old to come along.

Okay so Zuko had used this as an excuse to watch the show. But he was in just as much need of a night spent having some mindless fun as the rest of his crew. But what he hadn’t been expecting was to see TY LEE as the main act.

She had always been a gymnast and she had been looking for a way to make herself stand out from her sisters, so maybe he shouldn’t have been so surprised by it.

And she looked happier than he had ever seen her.

Had she not actually been happy while living in the Caldera?

After the show was over Zuko snuck away from his uncle to go say hi. It had only been a few months since he had last seen her, but she had been from the Before. The before he had been banished. The before he had been scarred. The before he had lost his honor.

“Ty Lee, you were amazing on the tightrope,” He said in greeting when he stepped into her tent.

She turned from where she sat and a huge grin split across her face as she leaped up from where she sat and rushed over to hug him, “Zuko! Its been too long! How are you? Azula said you were banished?”

Zuko’s gut clenched at the memory of the night he’d been banished and all that had led up to it, before he gave a nod and answered, “I am. I can only return if I capture the Avatar.”

Ty Lee froze for a fraction of a second before she was saying, “But- Well if anyone can, it’s you!”

Zuko wasn’t sure, but he had to have hope that he could.

“It is nice to see a familiar face that isn’t Uncle for once. But I should probably go before he starts to worry...” Zuko sighed, not actually wanting to leave. Not when the closest thing to having friends had been Azula’s friends.

Ty Lee glanced between him and the headpiece she had placed down on her vanity for a few moments looking conflicted before she finally looked decided about something and said, “What if I came with you?”

“What? Like to say hi to Uncle? I’m sure he would appreciate that” Zuko answered with a small smile.

Ty Lee rolled her eyes and said, “No, I meant like what if I joined your mission? You know like a friend would do.”

Zuko couldn’t have heard her right. She wasn’t actually offering to be his friend. This wasn’t real.

“Uh... If you want to...” Because he wasn’t about to turn down having a friend if that was what she was offering.

That wide smile was back and she was bounding off to pack her things saying, “I’d love to! Besides! When you do find the Avatar he would be way easier to capture if you knew how to chi block! Which I can definitely teach you!”

“I would love that!” Zuko answered with his own wide smile.

He had a friend.

Maybe being banished wouldn’t be so horrible after all.


	12. Personality Bending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flameo there, my good hotman. I've got a headcanon for you: Firebenders are naturally very warm(making them an excellent choice for cuddles), but often dislike being touched. The obvious exception being Iroh, who is basically a heated pillow. Kind of extends a bit into another headcanon of mine that benders share some of their psychology with their element.

Oh I do like this! I also feel like this is probably a thing. And it’s always a good excuse for Zuko getting snuggles! Because who wouldn’t wanna cuddle a human heat pack?

I’d say that not liking being touched is more of a cultural thing in the past hundred years because they have been taught that their element is a weapon used for destruction and so fire benders have become afraid of hurting their loved ones with it. And as such have become resistant to being touched. As for their personality they are more bold and not to sound cliche have a fiery personality. (Though in the last hundred years they have gained some anger issues because they are using anger to fuel their bending.)

Air benders are one that we don’t have much to go off from in the show, but I’d like to think that they are a lot like Aang and Gyatso. They are light and playful like a spring breeze. But when angered become a tornado. But also like a tornado while massively powerful and destructive than anger doesn’t last very long. (I grew up in the “tornado alley” of the US so this is where my brain goes when I think of dangerous winds.)

Water benders rum cooler due to water being a cooling element. And I think that they likely have quicker reaction time due to how fluid water is. They tend to seem calm like level water but their mood can change quickly as the onset of an ocean storm. They also tend to feel things more deeply.

Earth benders are stated to be stubborn and unmoving in the show so need I say more? Also they have stronger bones. I don’t make the rules. Toph makes the rules.

And these factors into a head cannon of my own as well! Once my brain is done waking up my replies will be smarter worded.


	13. Momos Got A Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a crack fic, but what if guns were a thing? imagine how much more angsty zuko could be if he could, ah, punctuate his monologues with a gun. imagine if momo managed to get a hold of one, lmao

As Zuko concluded his monologue to the unconscious Avatar he shot his gun off into the sky, more out of habit born from a dramatic flare at this point, and sighed.

He could only hope that the snowstorm would die down quickly. Then he would be able to figure out how he was going to get the Avatar to his father.

And maybe he should have been thinking harder about gun safety, as he held the gun in the loose grip of his left hand because a moment later the Avatar’s lemur had raced into the cave and snatched it from him before skittering off.

“Fuck...” Zuko groaned because if there was anyone with worse gun safety than someone who thought to fire a gun off into the air for dramatic effect at the end of a monologue it would be an actual animal.

But at least he liked dual-wielding both guns and swords so he had a back up to use if he needed to.

He never did end up getting the gun back.

Momo on the other hand had managed to hide the gun from his human companions. They wouldn’t understand. They were too young. Too innocent.

Taking a life just wasn’t something Momo could see Aang doing. It went against everything that the monks had taught the child. But Ozai could not be allowed to live.

Especially after hearing the ponytailed human talk about his father.

So when Momo had seen the gun lower, he had slipped out from Aang’s shirt and bolted for the gun and grabbed it. Then he had fled off into the snow.

Not long after Appa and the other humans had shown up.

The sky bison had been more than happy to hide to the gun in his mouth until the lemur could find a better place for it.

Months passed and finally the day the lemur had been waiting for had arrived.

During the invasion, he slipped away from the rest of the humans and snuck into the palace hoping to find the Fire Lord. Instead he found Zuko sneaking off into a secret passage.

Momo followed him.

It led straight to the Fire Lord.

And as the boy finally stood up to his father, Momo readied his stolen gun. He just had to wait until Zuko had finished saying his piece and fired off his gun to punctuate the final sentence.

And Zuko did.

Ozai dropped dead, and Zuko’s gun was aimed at the sky.

Zuko whipped around and saw the lemur brandishing the gun he had stolen back during the Siege of the North Pole. There was shock and more than a little horror on the human’s face.

But when the lemur approached and placed the gun back down at Zuko’s feet, that look changed to confusion.

Momo didn’t stay behind to see how the teenager would explain this to the guards. Instead he fled into the hall and found his way to Aang and the other humans.

The war was over.

Momo had seen to it himself.


	14. 5 Cats and 2 Dogs Not Infidelity

Modern au where Sokka comes home from work early and Zuko seems surprised and panicked about something. Sokka can’t help but worry Zuko’s hiding something. Briefly, he fears Zuko is cheating on him and that’s why Zuko closed the door to their bedroom so quickly. But Zuko would never...

**Sokka, nervous, and in denial:** Baby? Is something wrong?

**Zuko, awkward:** Do you think our landlord would be okay if we got some pets?

**Sokka, relieved as hell:** Zuko, my love, how many cats are currently hiding in our bedroom?

**Zuko, in defeat:** 5 cats and two dogs.


	15. The List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A post by TurtleDuckToph (Go check them out on Tumblr) And my response.
> 
> Suki: who hurt you?  
> Zuko: *sarcastically* you want a list?  
> Sokka: *drawing his sword* Yes.

Zuko reluctantly and under the duress of Toph made the list. Suki has gone to get her as soon as the sarcastic comment had slipped past his lips. Sokka has gotten the brush and paper.

So here he was, the Fire Lord, and he was writing the list.

And sure there had been plenty of people who had hurt him, he guessed. But he didn’t think that they were talking about harsh words for a stuck up costumer during his time at the tea shop.

(Though he would never tell anyone that those words had gotten to him. After all, he did pour tea in one of them by “accident” after one such woman had insulted his uncle’s tea. They could complain about his awful service or his perceived character flaws all they wanted,  _ but you make fun of uncle’s tea, and you get tea dumped on you. _ )

Zuko stared at the blank parchment and sighed.

There hadn’t been many people who hadn’t been allowed to harm him while Zuko had been growing up in the palace. Ozai had taken great pleasure in informing his fire bending instructors to burn him or leave him to stand in horse stance for hours as punishment for his subpar bending.

How much of that had been someone merely following orders, and how much had been something they had actually wanted to do?

He thought back to the demented smile that Sifu Jenqui had given him on more than one occasion when Zuko would falter or trip during a movement.

The man refused to gently correct Zuko’s form with words or nudge him into place, like Uncle. No Sifu Jenqui would chase Zuko’s limbs into the proper placement with a ribbon of fire.

Zuko has gotten many burns from the man’s teaching methods.

Zuko wrote the man’s name down.

The hurt that The Boy In The Iceberg play had inflicted on him was seeing his own people cheering for his death during the play. But there was every chance that the Ember Island Players had received orders to put the play on. They weren’t the ones to write it after all. So Zuko determined he would have to find out who was responsible for the play in the first place.

He wrote that down.

Then there was the team of soldiers that had volunteered to help keep Zuko contained to the palace. They had been far too eager for the job. And at the onset, they had been forceful and brutal at their job. Or at least until his mother had seen the bruises they’d left one evening when they’d dragged him back to the palace.

He had only wanted to go to the festival, but his father had said it was a peasant’s event. And that Zuko should be ashamed even to consider dirtying himself by spending time among them.

He’d given his mother the names of the men who’d left the bruises, and they’d dropped dead the next day during their shift. But there were still several members left who hadn’t fallen ill with whatever sickness that had killed the two who’d he’d turned over to his mother.

So he listed their names.

There was Zhao, who had taken great pleasure in trying to tear Zuko down. And one could not forget the tense atmosphere whenever he and his uncle had sat down for tea with the man.

Uncle Iroh always handed him an oddly medical tasting candy whenever they revived news they would be dining or sharing tea with the man. Zuko had never questioned it. Some things were better left a mystery when one already feared they knew the answer.

But Zhao was dead. So dispute listing the man had added the word deceased next to the name.

The lightning scar on his chest, still sore two years later, gave a twinge of pain as he shifted in his chair.

Azula... She had hurt him, but he was hoping that therapy would help her. For now, her therapists had told him to keep his distance.

He did not list her.

And then there was Ozai.

That one was as clear to him as the water in the spirit oasis. (Or at least now it was.) The man had revealed in hurting him. And he had wasted no expense in his efforts to do so.

Zuko took a deep breath and, with a slight tremble to his hand, wrote the man’s name, and of that, Toph, thank the spirits, did not comment.

But there was one name still missing from the parchment.

His own…

He had made so many choices throughout his life that he knew, in the long run, would hurt him. He had been cruel to people whom he should never have been. Slapped away hands, reaching out to save him from drowning in his own misery and self-hatred.

And even now, Zuko was still drowning in that same self-hatred because he didn’t think he deserved kindness. He hadn’t since refusing to fight his father in defense of the 42nd. (Though he would have undoubtedly lost that fight, and the men would have died all the same.) during his banishment, he’d spoken cruelly to his uncle, when all the man had wanted was for Zuko to be safe and happy. He had hired an assassin to kill a child. He had attacked Sokka’s village and shake the man’s grandmother. In some vain attempt of making a point.

Zuko had since apologized to Gran-Gran and her village for the incident, but that didn’t remove the guilt that he felt over it.

He’d betrayed Uncle in the catacombs underneath Ba Sing Se, and though his uncle might have forgiven him, Zuko still couldn’t forgive himself.

He wrote his own name down and then handed the paper to Suki.

The warrior was silent as she read over the list before after a tense moment saying, “Zuko, if you ever need to talk about any of these names... I’ll listen. It’s my job, not just as your bodyguard but also as your friend, to keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” Zuko answered, a small smile on his face at her words. He knew which name she meant, and he appreciated her discretion.

He had friends, and he was willing to protect them with his life, and he knew that they would happily do the same for him. They were family now, after all.

Toph punched him in the shoulder and announced, “I’ll make sure to put the fear of Toph into those idiots on that list.”

Zuko laughed as he rubbed his shoulder and glanced over to Sokka, who was now reading through the list with a frown that melted from his face when he met Zuko’s eyes.

He was loved.


	16. Grandma Kyoshi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I made a post about how Kyoshi needs to adopt Zuko and how the fandom needs to make content for this.

[](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626554221087604736)

[flameo-hotman](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626554221087604736)

If Roku is Zuko’s great grandfather and we have decided that makes Aang his great grandfather as well, then Kyoshi is Zuko’s grandma and I demand fanart and posts about Kyoshi being proud as fuck of her grandson.

Do it! Now! Make the content that we were always meant to make.

[](https://latte-viibes.tumblr.com/post/626557350554238976)

[latte-viibes](https://latte-viibes.tumblr.com/post/626557350554238976)

kyoshi and toph chaos relatives

[](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626557537065500672)

[flameo-hotman](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626557537065500672)

Image Description

power duo, some general makes some comment about how he should've been killed by his dad or something. Kyoshi and Toph materializing in the room. SOMEBODY ONCE TOLD ME starts playing. General tags to make the post easier to find. I am the biggest brain.

Stunning and perfect. The general was never heard from again.

[](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626587942908018688)

[flameo-hotman](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/626587942908018688)

Image Description

Me and my sister were joking about if Kyoshi was the Avatar instead of Aang, imagine Zuko meeting her and she's like "Angry, abandoned, hurt by those who should have cared for you. Oh, you're mine now." And she adopts Zuko on the spot much to Iroh's dismay. Later she goes to the Fire Nation to fight Ozai and he is all ready then notices she's caring Zuko on her hip and he flips like "Is that my son??!!" Kyoshi looks him down saying, "He is mine. You had your chance."

[@wolfgirl27](https://tmblr.co/mNZn7tGER3K8xcZjzWyBH0Q) I am sending you and your sister all the good vibes because I love that idea way too much. To any fic writers out there I demand one of yahl write this because lord knows how many WIPs I have.

[](https://pinkknight999.tumblr.com/post/626619259416641536)

[pinkknight999](https://pinkknight999.tumblr.com/post/626619259416641536)

"He's mine you had your chance" Oh my gosh yes yes yes yes and also yes and did I mention yes???


	17. Avatar The Last Musical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I made a wholesome post about snuggle pits and Atla the Musical and I loved the replies.

##  [ Atla the Musical ](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/627051514108821504/atla-the-musical)

[ **flameo-hotman** ](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/627044600645894144)

Imagine this.

You and your loved ones all sit in a snuggle pit made from soft blankets and pillows. There is cocoa and snacks. The snacks are light yet filling. Someone is making grandma quality cookies in the oven.

You are watching Avatar: The Last Musical

There are songs and Zuko knows he is in a musical and is trying to use his knowledge of tropes and plot to make the plot let him capture the Avatar. Somehow this leaves him stuck in a rom-com subplot with himself and Sokka. He submits himself to this fate.

Meanwhile, Toph is aggressively breaking the fourth wall.

The Kyoshi Warriors all sing opera. (Ref. Rise of Kyoshi for context on the Flying Opera Company the criminal gang that Kyoshi use to run with.)

Iroh breaks the fourth wall to offer you tea and wisdom. At one point after a rather intense musical number, he offers tea to the orchestra.

When Zuko is yelling at the sky to strike him down, you offer him cocoa and a fuzzy blanket. He goes to be alone and drinks the coco and wraps himself up in the blanket.

Azula has opera training. She sings the high notes and low notes to intimidate her enemies.

Ozai on the other hand doesn’t know that he is in a musical and refuses to sing. He has one note in the Phoenix King number that he is meant to sing and he misses it.

While Iroh is in prison, you offer him some of your cookies. He accepts them and thanks you. He also tells you that he loves you and is proud of the person that you are becoming.

Please add on more in this most wholesome of posts.

[ **whats-a-reading** ](https://whats-a-reading.tumblr.com/post/627045113075564544)

Imagine you after, belting (or trying your very best) to belt all the songs because half of them are showstoppers

Imagine Katara rap battling Pakku and absolutely demolishing him because his one comeback is “you’re a girl” and that’s just… lame.

Imagine Aang’s “I am” song being epic and cheerful and then being reprised as determined and still epic. Still in a major key because this boy has a flat arc and we love that.

Imagine Bumi with a kazoo.

Imagine Ozai’s one note being a horrible voice crack which just… sounds pathetic tbh and you get to laugh at him ruining his own moment

Imagine the solemn final number, closing it all up, and you get to know that the main adventure may be over, but there are more to come. And they’re happy

[ **flameo-hotman** ](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/627045444641521664)

I love you

[ **inprisonforsparkling** ](https://inprisonforsparkling.tumblr.com/post/627046191332540416)

Ty Lee  _ sings while doing a backflip _ at one point.

The song when they go into Ba Sing Se seems perfectly happy, domestic, so on, but there’s  _ one _ person singing in a minor harmony, with slightly different lyrics that hint at what’s happening in Lake Laogai. 

Toph’s intro song - in the Earth Kingdom arena that I’ve forgotten the name of - is rock music, she’s loud. Then, when we see her as Toph Beifong, perfect daughter of nobles, it’s a quiet, soft song, but it has a few guitar chords reminiscent of her previous song.

[ **whats-a-reading** ](https://whats-a-reading.tumblr.com/post/627048001690615808)

Hello, everyone, this is my musical headcanoning in full force

Azula is an alto, but she has a bunch of songs with massive range because she is Azula and she is intense

Katara is a mezzo, her songs don’t belt on the higher notes but the sheer power of the chest voice is amazing and beautiful and I love

Toph actually gets the ingenue range (soprano but not really a belter) because in universe she is the looks like a cinnamon roll but can kill you… she also tends to shout rather than belt (esp in her earth rumble intro)

Suki is an opera singer as established up there so big range and big power and projection… as long as they can hit the notes, voice type doesn’t matter (although it’s probably easier for sopranos ngl)

Ty Lee is a soprano, and I love the previous person who said she hits a note while doing a flip

Mai is an alto and doesn’t sing too often, but she does have her moments

Aang is… was the term treble for children’s range? either way, if that isn’t possible, a tenor will do, airbender so at some point in one of his songs there’s that thing where he holds a note for an absurdly long time

Sokka’s a baritone. He has a fun counterpoint with katara and aang in notable moments like the time right after katara and aang set off the booby trap, the southern air temple, and the sokka’s instincts thing and jet

Jet sings like someone in a boy band. I love canon!jet but I’m sorry he’s mouth wheat boy.

Zuko has the range. Power ballads against Ozai, soft crying, complete dork? He has it all. Somewhere in between tenor and baritone.

Iroh is whatever his OG VA was… (ow, was) so uh. A baritone maybe? Also when he does sing leaves from the vine it’s a recording of the original song by mako

Zhao is a bass. His lyrics are silly and stupid at all times. Right until he goes and kills the moon

Ozai does not sing. His speaking voice is intimidating and his 1 attempt at hitting a note was a complete failure and a massive voice crack.

Cabbage man doesn’t sing either. He just yells my cabbages.

[ **inprisonforsparkling** ](https://inprisonforsparkling.tumblr.com/post/627048384784662528)

First, I love all of this. Thank you, person above me.

Yue has a soft, gentle motif through all of her songs, but it comes to a crescendo as she turns into the moon. 

Mai sings, but not often, and more like Billie Eilish than belting. 

Also, what if Cabbage Man has an amazing falsetto and loudly sings “MY CABBAGES!”

[ **gee-whatsgoingonhere** ](https://gee-whatsgoingonhere.tumblr.com/post/627049638830243840)

Love this, all of this

Could there please be a quartet between Sokka, Katara, Aang and Bato for when they’re all sailing the boat for that trust exercise (in Bato from the Water Tribe). But Sokka is like the grounding bass handing out instructions and Katara sings long sustained notes letting them know it’s all clear on her side, and Bato is singing in harmony with Katara giving them all compliments and praise. Aang is just singing frantically _ aside _ because this is a trust exercise and he’s betrayed their trust by keeping that letter thing from his friends so they can’t see their dad.

A song for all the avatar ancestors trying to convince Aang that he has to kill Ozai, where it starts off calm and each melodic line keeps to itself. By the end of the song, all the ancestors are overlapping parts and melodic lines making this just cacophonous mess of sound and Aang lets out one big long note to shut em up before singing his own power ballad about ‘IIIIIII don’t wanna kill OOOOZAIIIII but the world’s put it’s trust in meeeeee-” 

Also a huge Les Mis like number for the end of season two where the people and the fire nation believe Aang to be dead, some are rejoicing and some are grieving, the Gaang are singing a separate counter melody as they’re forced into hiding and it’s just  _ filling _ the building with MUSIC AND SOUNDhhhhhh

[ **inprisonforsparkling** ](https://inprisonforsparkling.tumblr.com/post/627049711041478656)

ALSO THIS  [ @whats-a-reading ](https://tmblr.co/mONhI_-fNQhpsD4pRFInBTQ)

[ **whats-a-reading** ](https://whats-a-reading.tumblr.com/post/627051403209310208)

Oh, no I don’t think the Ozai murder song starts out calm at all. It starts with the Gaang singing it with a finality to it. Aang interlude (reprise of his “I’m the Avatar” song, but in a minor key so it’s his 2nd leitmotif of “I ran away). And then there’s a brief pause. There’s a brief meditative segment, and then Roku appears all wise.

Aang gets more and more frustrated and just when Roku, Kuruk, and Kyoshi sound like they get to a climax with their trio harmony, Aang interrupts and calls Yangchen. Her bit is lyrically similar to his and then it gets to murder Ozai in a minor key. Which leads to Aang getting even more frustrated. At this point, the quartet of previous Avatars has devolved into unintelligible background singing while Aang’s still frustrated.

The Gaang comes back for the climax of this song, but it’s a counterpoint of “why did he run away, he must kill the firelord” to the main melody which got passed from them (sort of) to the past Avatars of “you’re the avatar, it’s the only way”. Climax is everyone singing in unison “You’re the Avatar, kill the firelord”, or something similar.

And Aang, panicked, yells stop. No power ballad from Aang after that. Just quiet determination that he’s the Avatar. And then the lion turtle shows up. And then cue the forte.


	18. Cabbage Man - Vibe Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:
> 
> Vibe check the cabbage man pls

The cabbage man is obviously a spy for the fire nation. (What with how often Aang destroyed his cabbages it makes sense he would defect.)

At first, he was only selling Zuko info about the Avatar because Zuko ran into him at the docks that the pirates were at, shortly after talking with the pirates himself. Zuko got the man’s contact information and gave him some money to replace his cart and cabbages and then proceeded to use that info in tracking the Avatar.

Once Zuko became a refugee, the money Zuko has given the man dried up, and the cabbage man went to Ba Sing Se hoping that he would be safe from the Avatar there, but he wasn’t.

So when the Fire Nation took the city and the occupation began, the cabbage man brought what he knew to Azula and she paid him handsomely for the intel, before passing it onto her father and the council.

The council decided that by using what they had been told and twisting it they could make some good propaganda with it. So they contacted the Ember Island Players and sent the cabbage merchant to them to aid in the writing.

Once the day of Black Sun happened the writing team was ordered to twist the parts with Zuko as well due to his status as a traitor. But the cabbage man kept that to a minimum because Zuko has helped him out repeatedly with getting new carts and cabbages when the Avatar would destroy his cart.

Still, he was loyal to the money he was being given so he didn’t try too hard, and once the play was finished, the cabbage man was sent back to Ba Sing Se.

And he was living the good life with all the fire nation money he’d been paid, but when the city was liberated, his money was useless and he had to return to the squalor he had been living in before he betrayed the Earth Kingdom to make a quick buck from the Fire Nation.

And the Avatar continued to destroy his cabbage carts until the man’s dying days.

I know this isn’t quite what you asked for but I just really like this headcanon of mine. I came up with it because I wanted to have Zuko use the word cabbage as a safe word in one of my fics and this was my reasoning I came up with to justify it.

TLDR: Traveling Cabbage Merchant fueled by his lust for money acts like a total fool and plays himself in the long run.


	19. Miyuki - Vibe Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> theasylumchild asked:  
> I love your vibe check of the cabbage man. Please do a vibe check on Momo or Miyuki
> 
> I have a great one for Miyuki!

Long before the herbalist ever set up shop on the mountain top, Miyuki was there. There are legends about the cat spirit that roams the hills of the Pohuai Valley. And thousands of years ago that valley was home to a thriving civilization that worshiped the cat spirit.

But time passed like a crashing wave eroding the civilization until only ruins remained. Ruines and an odd cat. The ruins became known as Taku, and Passer throughs always felt something was odd and otherworldly about the cat. But it wasn’t until a young herbalist found the valley and met this cat that we arrive at the near presence of the show. Give or take a few decades of course.

The young healer’s name was Zhiyu and when she met the cat, she knew Miyuki for what she was. A powerful spirit.

Zhyuyi wanted to know more about this spirit, so she settled down in the valley and set up shop, soon finding that the valley was filled to bursting with healing plants and animals, such as the wood frogs. And since she had access to a treasure trove of healing, her practice became popular and one of the best in the entirety of the Earth Kingdom.

But as the war waged on, people began fleeing to strongholds like Ba Sing Se or moving away to Kyoshi Island due to the fact that the island had managed to stay out of the war. And people stopped coming to Zhyuyi’s practice almost altogether when the Fire Nation set up their stronghold in the Pohuai Valley.

Only the occasional Earth Kingdom soldier would pass through needing her healing.

Miyuki however seeing her human’s mind growing strange from loneliness decided that enough was enough.

For thousands of years, she had blessed the lands with healing properties and these invaders were planting an illness into Zhyuyi’s mind by driving away the other humans. She had to take action.

So she poisoned the river that fed water into a nearby Fire Nation colony.

There were no survivors.

And still, that was not enough. The Fire Nation kept creeping further and further into her valley.

She would turn the soldier’s supplies of food to rot. They would order a new shipment of supplies.

So Miyuki would slay the men who delivered those shipments when they entered into her valley.

For a full decade, she waged war with the invaders.

And the Fire Nation heard tales of this cat and all of the atrocities she was committing against their people.

They charged her with war crimes, though she never did anything like they had done to the Air Nomads. But the Fire Nation feared that should she ever leave her valley, she would not hesitate to wipe them from the face of the earth.

They pulled back leaving only the Pohuai Stronghold, so that should she leave the valley they would receive an alert.

Then the Avatar came to her human asking for a cure.

Miyuki was hopeful for the first time in a hundred years that her valley would be safe from the invaders.

She followed him from Zhyuyi’s practice and when she saw that the Yuyan Archers were closing in on the young avatar, she found a young human dressed as a spirit. She led him to the wood frog pond, hoping that the young spirit dressed human could save her hope for peace from capture.

He didn’t. Instead, he waited until the fall of night.

Then he rescued the Avatar. Miyuki watching from the shadows.

The two humans left her valley soon after and she waited to make her next move.

On the day that the sun turned black, she slew those who remained at the stronghold.

Her final act of war against the invaders, and her valley remained safe forever more.


End file.
